1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a multipurpose object holding device, more particularly a device for transporting skis, surfboards, monoskis or other similar articles and adapted to be attached to or forming an integral part of roofrack bars of a vehicle.
In the context of the present invention, by "roof" is meant the actual roof of a vehicle and any are to which such bars can be attached. This can mean, for example, the top of the trunk of an automobile vehicle or the back of a van type vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a substantial increase in the need for dedicated transport devices given the upsurge in skiing, surfing and like sports, whether on snow or on water. Many such devices are available. They are usually either dedicated roofrack bars for transporting skis and incorporating dedicated elements including fixed members or "carry all" bars to which is fixed a device incorporating dedicated members and fixing clamps.
The transportation of this type of article causes specific problems:
It is usually necessary to transport more than one such article at a time. PA0 Articles in the same category (e.g. skis) are available in various sizes: skis for children, skis for adults, and skis of various types: skis for downhill skiing, skis for cross-country skiing having very different characteristics. PA0 Finally, recent years have seen the introduction of various other devices for skiing, surfing and like sports, including surfboards and monoskis.
Prior art transport devices essentially comprise a support or base and a clamp that pivots or is demountable combined with elastic means for exerting a holding pressure. These devices usually have an open (unlocked) position for inserting the ski or skis or other articles between the base and the support and a locked position in which the article is held firmly between the clamp and the base by the elastic holding means.
Although the prior art devices are well designed for the transportation of one category of sporting articles and in some cases for the simultaneous transportation of several articles of the same category, it is necessary to use dedicated members for the transportation of articles of different categories, and the prior art devices are at best ill-suited to this type of use.
A main object of the invention is a multipurpose object holder for vehicle roofrack bars enabling simultaneous transportation of a plurality of sporting articles of the same category such as skis, surfboards, monoskis and the like and/or the transportation of a plurality of sporting articles of the aforementioned types of different categories.
To this end the device of the invention includes, in a manner that is entirely similar to the prior art devices, a support or a base and a mobile clamp, and means for locking and unlocking this clamp, and elastic means for applying a holding force to the articles inserted between the clamp and the base.
However, in accordance with an essential feature of the invention, said elastic means are such that articles in different categories and/or of different thicknesses can be disposed inside the object holder of the invention, singly or in multiples.
To be more precise, there are two main embodiments of the device of the invention.
In the first embodiment the elastic means are fastened to the mobile clamp and in the second embodiment the elastic means are fastened to the base.